Box Squat

Box Squat

 

Box Squat Guide

Main Muscle: Quadriceps

1. The box squat allows you to squat to desired depth and develop explosive strength in the squat movement. Begin in a power rack with a box at the appropriate height behind you. Typically, you would aim for a box height that brings you to a parallel squat, but you can train higher or lower if desired.
2. Begin by stepping under the bar and placing it across the back of the shoulders. Squeeze your shoulder blades together and rotate your elbows forward, attempting to bend the bar across your shoulders. Remove the bar from the rack, creating a tight arch in your lower back, and step back into position. Place your feet wider for more emphasis on the back, glutes, adductors, and hamstrings, or closer together for more quad development. Keep your head facing forward.
3. With your back, shoulders, and core tight, push your knees and butt out and you begin your descent. Sit back with your hips until you are seated on the box. Ideally, your shins should be perpendicular to the ground. Pause when you reach the box, and relax the hip flexors. Never bounce off of a box.
4. Keeping the weight on your heels and pushing your feet and knees out, drive upward off of the box as you lead the movement with your head. Continue upward, maintaining tightness head to toe.

Bent Over Low-Pulley Side Lateral

Bent Over Low-Pulley Side Lateral

 

Bent Over Low-Pulley Side Lateral Guide

Main Muscle: Shoulders

1. Select a weight and hold the handle of the low pulley with your right hand.
2. Bend at the waist until your torso is nearly parallel to the floor. Your legs should be slightly bent with your left hand placed on your lower left thigh. Your right arm should be hanging from your shoulder in front of you and with a slight bend at the elbow. This will be your starting position.
3. Raise your right arm, elbow slightly bent, to the side until the arm is parallel to the floor and in line with your right ear. Breathe out as you perform this step.
4. Slowly lower the weight back to the starting position as you breathe in.
5. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions and repeat the movement with the other arm.

Variations: You can perform this exercise with dumbbells or exercise bands.

Leverage Shrug

Leverage Shrug

 

Leverage Shrug Guide

Main Muscle: Traps

1. Load the pins to an appropriate weight. Position yourself directly between the handles.
2. Grasp the top handles with a comfortable grip, and then lower your hips as you take a breath. Look forward with your head and keep your chest up.
3. Drive through the floor with your heels, extending your hips and knees as you rise to a standing position. Keep your arms straight throughout the movement, finishing with your shoulders back. This will be your starting position.
4. Raise the weight by shrugging the shoulders towards your ears, moving straight up and down.
5. Pause at the top of the motion, and then return the weight to the starting position.

Decline EZ Bar Triceps Extension

Decline EZ Bar Triceps Extension

 

Decline EZ Bar Triceps Extension Guide

Main Muscle: Triceps

1. Secure your legs at the end of the decline bench and slowly lay down on the bench.
2. Using a close grip (a grip that is slightly less than shoulder width), lift the EZ bar from the rack and hold it straight over you with your arms locked and elbows in. The arms should be perpendicular to the floor. This will be your starting position. Tip: In order to protect your rotator cuff, it is best if you have a spotter help you lift the barbell off the rack.
3. As you breathe in and you keep the upper arms stationary, bring the bar down slowly by moving your forearms in a semicircular motion towards you until you feel the bar slightly touch your forehead. Breathe in as you perform this portion of the movement.
4. Lift the bar back to the starting position by contracting the triceps and exhaling.
5. Repeat until the recommended amount of repetitions is performed.

Variations: You can use a straight bar or dumbbells to perform this movement. You can also perform it on a flat bench as well.

Chin-Up

Chin-Up

 

 Chin-Up Guide

Main Muscle: Lats

1. Grab the pull-up bar with the palms facing your torso and a grip closer than the shoulder width.
2. As you have both arms extended in front of you holding the bar at the chosen grip width, keep your torso as straight as possible while creating a curvature on your lower back and sticking your chest out. This is your starting position. Tip: Keeping the torso as straight as possible maximizes biceps stimulation while minimizing back involvement.
3. As you breathe out, pull your torso up until your head is around the level of the pull-up bar. Concentrate on using the biceps muscles in order to perform the movement. Keep the elbows close to your body. Tip: The upper torso should remain stationary as it moves through space and only the arms should move. The forearms should do no other work other than hold the bar.
4. After a second of squeezing the biceps in the contracted position, slowly lower your torso back to the starting position; when your arms are fully extended. Breathe in as you perform this portion of the movement.
5. Repeat this motion for the prescribed amount of repetitions.

Variations:

• If you are new at this exercise and do not have the strength to perform it, use a pull-up assist machine if available. These machines use weight to help you push your bodyweight.
• Otherwise, a spotter holding your legs can help.
• On the other hand, more advanced lifters can add weight to the exercise by using a weight belt that allows the addition of weighted plates.

Concentration Curls

Concentration Curls

 

 Concentration Curls Guide

Main Muscle: Biceps

1. Sit down on a flat bench with one dumbbell in front of you between your legs. Your legs should be spread with your knees bent and feet on the floor.
2. Use your right arm to pick the dumbbell up. Place the back of your right upper arm on the top of your inner right thigh. Rotate the palm of your hand until it is facing forward away from your thigh. Tip: Your arm should be extended and the dumbbell should be above the floor. This will be your starting position.
3. While holding the upper arm stationary, curl the weights forward while contracting the biceps as you breathe out. Only the forearms should move. Continue the movement until your biceps are fully contracted and the dumbbells are at shoulder level. Tip: At the top of the movement make sure that the little finger of your arm is higher than your thumb. This guarantees a good contraction. Hold the contracted position for a second as you squeeze the biceps.
4. Slowly begin to bring the dumbbells back to starting position as your breathe in. Caution: Avoid swinging motions at any time.
5. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions. Then repeat the movement with the left arm.

Variations: This exercise can be performed standing with the torso bent forward and the arm in front of you. In this case, no leg support is used for the back of your arm so you will need to make extra effort to ensure no movement of the upper arm. This is a more challenging version of the exercise and is not recommended for people with lower back issues.

Cable Chest Press

Cable Chest Press

 

Cable Chest Press Guide

Main Muscle: Chest

1. Adjust the weight to an appropriate amount and be seated, grasping the handles. Your upper arms should be about 45 degrees to the body, with your head and chest up. The elbows should be bent to about 90 degrees. This will be your starting position.
2. Begin by extending through the elbow, pressing the handles together straight in front of you. Keep your shoulder blades retracted as you execute the movement.
3. After pausing at full extension, return to th starting position, keeping tension on the cables.
4. You can also execute this movement with your back off the pad, at an incline or decline, or alternate hands.